Since the beginning of history, people have created drawings. How did they learn? More than likely they were taught to “copy” by a grandparent, parent, older sibling, or a teacher. Copying was crucial to scribes during Ancient Egyptian times. Young Egyptian boys learned to draw by incessantly copying hieroglyphics. They were cruelly disciplined or dismissed if their drawings were not produced perfectly. Since before the Renaissance, young artists worked as apprentices under the instruction of accomplished artists. Fast forward to the beginning of the nineteenth century and apprenticeship was basically lost to drawing being taught in school. However, the techniques of copying continued. Art students had to learn how earlier artists mastered the human figure by copying their work. Once specific features and combinations of these body parts were clearly understood, student artists were then allowed to draw from life.
Can anyone learn to draw? Click HERE for one educator's opinion!